Version July 2025
| Complication | Incidence | Preventive measures |
| Brachial plexus injury | 2-15 percent | Minimize sternal retraction |
| Attention to patient position | ||
| Padding arms | ||
| Stroke | 0.4-6 percent | Conduct of cardiopulmonary bypass |
| Minimize duration | ||
| Hypothermia | ||
| Alpha-stat pH management (?) | ||
| Minimally invasive procedures (?) | ||
| Avoid perioperative hypotension | ||
| Preoperative screening | ||
| If significant carotid stenosis consider: | ||
| Preoperative stent | ||
| Combined CEA/CABG | ||
| Avoidance of emboli | ||
| De-airing maneuvers | ||
| Minimize aortic trauma in patients with severely calcified aortas | ||
| Monitoring | ||
| TEE | ||
| EEG/EP (?) | ||
| TCD (?) | ||
| Ophthalmologic | Clinical 0.1-25 percent | Same as stroke |
| Angiography 100 percent | ||
| Delirium | 3-32 percent | Minimize: |
| Sensory deprivation | ||
| Benzodiazepine/narcotic use postoperatively | ||
| Disruption of sleep-wake cycles | ||
| Watch for metabolic encephalopathies | ||
| Electrolytes | ||
| Renal dysfunction | ||
| Hepatic dysfunction | ||
| Watch for withdrawal syndromes | ||
| Subtle neuropsychological | 10-79 percent | Same as stroke |
| Intracranial hemorrhage | <0.1 percent | Wait 2-4 weeks after new stroke before surgery if possible |
| Seizures | 0.6 percent | Avoid: |
| Hyponatremia | ||
| Hypocalcemia | ||
| Hypomagnesemia | ||
| Avoid withdrawal of: | ||
| Benzodiazepines | ||
| Barbiturates | ||
| Avoid toxic doses of: | ||
| Lidocaine |
